10 Ways to Break out of Your Diet Rut

Experiencing healthy eating ennui? Check out these easy ways to bust out of your diet rut.

How is everyone doing this week? For me, the hardest part of eating right and working out is not seeing magical results. When I started the Wedding Dress Challenge the scale just wouldn't budge, and it was so frustrating. Now that I've slowly inched my way down the weight chart, I'm faced with a new problem: Meal time ennui and hitting a diet plateau.

I needed some tricks to spice up my meal plan and tip that scale, and Stephanie Middleberg, our wonderful nutritionist came to the rescue. Here are 10 simple twists that can make all the difference.

Veg Out: Make vegetables the star of your meal. Add in two all-vegetarian meals every week. Make them more flavorful with delicious spices, and you won't even miss the meat.

Portion Control: The average size entree at a restaurant is unfortunately more than what you want to eat in a single sitting. Make it a point to leave a quarter of your plate when dining out—you can always take it home for another time.

Done With Dairy: During the early months of nursing my son, I discovered he had a strong milk protein allergy and my doctor told me to cut out all dairy. I did—for about two days! Cutting out dairy is probably harder for some of us, but you will see a massive difference when you do. Do a dairy-free week to see for yourself.

No More Night Owl: We are all guilty of it: Eating an early dinner, and then curling up in front of the TV. The next thing you know, you're reaching for a chocolate bar. Now you have the munchies, and a handful of nuts becomes a few chips and hummus. Even though you think you are eating healthy foods, the calories are stacking up. Stephanie recommends going two nights with no snack or dessert after dinner. You consume an additional 100 calories per hour that you stay up after 10 p.m.

Clean Up Your Lunch: It might be the middle of the day, but it's when those sneaky carbs can strike. Aim for a "clean" lunch twice a week. Try a salad with five grilled shrimp, vegetables, oil and vinegar, or four slices of turkey on high fiber crackers with half an avocado.

Walk It Out: Don't give those calories a chance to settle in. Go for a 10 minute power walk after lunch, and you will learn the secret to avoiding that mid-afternoon snack.

Go With the Flow: The best thing you can consume has no calories. Stephanie always reminds me that we turn to food most often when we are actually dehydrated. Quench that hunger with calorie-free water. Add an extra 16 ounces a day and not only will you flush out toxins, you'll ditch the urge to eat badly.

Start the Day Right: A rushed cold cereal breakfast isn't going to do you any favors. One thing I've adamantly stuck to in this challenge is a high protein breakfast. Mine is an omelet and veggies. Opt for two boiled eggs and fruit if you want to avoid a breakfast mess.

Get a Friend to Grade Your Work: I'm famous for lying to myself. I'll eat half a bar of dark chocolate and convince myself it's okay because it's dark chocolate. And even though I know two fistfuls of roasted macadamia nuts after dinner is totally cheating, I still convince myself it isn't. Need a way out of cheating yourself? Record your food intake, and send it to a friend or co-worker every day. I guarantee you'll turn over a new leaf when you have to share all your diet indiscretions.

Dress It Up Yourself: A salad can go from healthy to unhealthy with just a few shakes of the bottle. Bottled salad dressings are loaded with sugar and carbs. Go homemade and lose the fat. Simply mix 1 teaspoon of olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and mustard for a delicious healthier option.

I hope these tricks help you get out of the diet rut. Do you have any to add? What's your little diet secret? Tell the editors at REDBOOK how you've changed your diet—and what results you've seen! Email them at redbookemail@gmail.com for a chance to be featured in the magazine.

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